Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos

Jess and her husband “pretend declared” that they were living in an Airstream doing a book tour - and it actually happened! This speaks to the power of “trying it on.”  Listen for what Karen first thought of Jess when she saw her video ad from the Nashville airport and how that led to a milestone moment in September 2019 when she signed up for Jess’s Mic Drop workshop. This led Karen to create a f...

Tangible Takeaways: We need to celebrate moments in which we have taken steps of courage when we didn’t think we could. We’re all unique and our uniqueness should be welcomed and celebrated. Celebrating your own wins will make you more confident. Everyone has stories if we look for them. You have the choice to look for the stories in the lessons you’ve learned in your life.  We have the ultimate d...

Tangible Takeaways: We’re all complex human beings and we’re so much more than what people see in just one situation. Don’t evaluate yourself from someone else’s perspective. Let the person in your head talk.  We can have these portfolio careers, find our own ways to serve the community, and find that one thing that truly fulfills us.   We can’t worry about what people are going to say or how they...

Tangible Takeaways: We only grow as a person if we’re willing to leave our comfort zone, take risks and try new things.  You have to act in order to become confident. You can’t wait until you feel confident before you do something. For opportunities, we have to show up and raise our hand if we want to make a change.  Women have a tendency to hold back from sharing ideas and doing things. It takes...

One day her 11-year old son said “I found a way to help many people at the same time.” Together they founded YTeach, an app where students can request on-demand tutoring from their peers; just like requesting an Uber. Growing up Cuban surrounded by all males, she was the first to go to college amongst her brothers and many cousins. She’s always pushed herself to learn and to be better in spite of...

Rosanna and I have a candid conversation around how to get out of the pattern of thinking you have to do it all. Here are a few takeaways: Where can you take short cuts (we’ll give you tips!) Why is busyness a badge of honor? Outsource everything you can Be intentional about your time Do meaningful things Set boundaries  Rosanna Berardi’s Bio: Rosanna Berardi is a lawyer, mother, and entrepreneur....

Takeaways:  How do we feel when we get it? Most of us feel judged when we get unsolicited advice, along with frustration because someone made an assumption about us and they don’t know the full story. What to say: Affirm and appreciate that they want to help. Redirect to what you actually need or want from them. “Thank you for wanting to help. Here’s what would be helpful…” We give it because we w...

Some takeaways Get clarity on what you want so you know where you’re going Set intentions with actions - “what’s one thing I can do today?” Celebrate milestones Don’t tolerate what’s “good enough” There’s a difference between easy and effortless Trust yourself and define what you want (vs. someone else defining you)   About Karsta: Karsta spent the better part of her adult life enduring things tha...

Christine stayed quiet as a little girl and in the shadow of her brother. She married someone similar and began to recognize that she wanted to inspire and encourage others. She realized her voice was powerful and that she didn’t have to hide behind someone else. She highlights the importance of kindness, which is one of her top values.  Some takeaways: We all have unique gifts: walk in yours! Wor...

Becky offers her real-world experience working as a leader who’s an introvert in a male-dominated world. Listen for how she wow’d a skeptical audience and had them requesting her back the following year, along with the secret about confidence. Some takeaways: Confidence is a skill - it’s something you can work on and improve. You’re not necessarily born with it so there’s HOPE. You can build it an...

Jenny felt called to be a speaker, but pushed it to the side for a decade. As a recovering procrastinator, she talks about the power of prioritizing the right things and being intentional about making your dream come true.  Some takeaways: Take one step at a time - even five minutes a day - to move forward toward your dream. Own your gifts and talents. Others may have similar dreams, but the expre...

A few takeaways: You have the right to take up space. Find the voice you use on others and give some of it to yourself! Your value as a person is in “being” not “doing” - you’re okay just by being you vs. having to perform Do the thing and confidence will come; not the other way around. Complete this sentence: “I forgive you for…” Make your own choices versus doing what others want (wished she had...

One of the most common topics that comes up when Jennifer speaks to her clients is setting boundaries. We talk about how to create boundaries around the things that make you frustrated and angry. That’s the first clue that you need them! Setting them helps you to 1) Alleviate stress and 2) Be true to your personal values.  Can you relate to this quote from Jennifer directly? “My personal favorite...

Words like “little, just, I’m sorry,” are only a few of the words that diminish our power, but there’s hope! It starts with awareness and then knowing what to say (or not say!) instead. About me: Karen Laos is a keynote speaker and leadership coach equipping women to stand out with unshakable confidence. She specializes in communication: executive presence and compelling messages. Karen champions...

Prepping your talk can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. I must admit I've always been more of a "wing-it" person, but I must also admit that while mental agility is a powerful skill, winging it doesn't always work so well. I've learned the hard way over my years! Thankfully over time, I started using this simple outline to help me prep. It's been invaluable. 1. Ask yourself who your...

Sara’s story is one of persistence and perseverance. She started her recruiting firm in San Francisco as a one-woman show and it’s now on many of the “Best Of” lists. She had a vision and stuck to it! And this from a woman whose first tax-paying job was Taco Bell. She shares many personal examples of finding her voice and her confidence.  You’re not going to believe what someone said to her about...

This is an episode back from the summit I hosted called Ignite Your Confidence. I talk about life lessons on my career journey such as… Why I felt so confident leaving corporate to pursue my dreams The importance of seizing (and creating!) opportunities Asking for what you want and need People pleasing and why it doesn’t serve us “Every wall is a door” Weighing the cost: there’s always a price/pay...

You’ll hear her unfold the challenges of self-doubt, especially as someone who comes across as outgoing and confident to the outside world, which might surprise you. Learn: What to say when a potential client says “I’m not sure” or “maybe” in regards to your services. What to do with that voice in your head (why did you say that?!) The value of naming your inner critic  The Fear Script to overcome...

If you want more clarity and focus in your conversations, these two questions will transform your communication! Karen shares two stories that illustrate the value of using these in our day to day meetings, as well as typical conversations that most of us have on a regular basis. About me: Karen Laos is a keynote speaker and leadership coach equipping women to stand out with unshakable confidence....

What does self-promotion mean in the first place? It’s simply sharing who you are and what you do so the world knows you exist!  Listen in as Karen walks through these three tips on how to promote yourself with ease. Ask yourself why it’s so hard and then come up with a message to counteract that. 80%+ is mindset, so tackle your fears and self-doubt first! Ask yourself: how does what I do serve th...

Lindsey kicks off the episode with a model introduction using my PPU formula - say something personal, professional and unique about yourself. She’s done over 100 obstacle course races, by the way! We go on to talk about a bunch of things with rich stories from her clients and her own life, such as... How confidence is tied to moving your body and trusting what you need Why “should’s” take up more...

Listen in to hear a live coaching session where we role-play a salary negotiation - what to say and what not to say so that you claim your worth and showcase your brilliance! About Alice: As a values-driven coach, Alice draws on her experience building, motivating, and coaching teams in a variety of environments spanning from large corporations, to small startups. With over 20 years of Program, Pr...

“You’re not going to believe what happened,” Laurie would say about the experiences she had with the caregivers at work, and these experiences ultimately motivated her to begin writing. In her book, Sandwiched, she writes about challenging times, but also the different ways in which she grew. She learned to give herself time to grieve, to follow the love, and to be honest and true to herself about...

To be most effective, your elevator pitch needs to be short, concise, and start with the problem or pain point your potential listener is experiencing. Alternatively, your listener can immediately identify what problem you solve and who you serve. The most common mistake? Starting with you and not the audience. The once shy and quiet girl that avoided being seen or heard, is now appearing center s...

Vocal inflection, upspeak, flow, warmth and pace are just a few of the things we talk about in this podcast episode. Your communication style is so important. Awareness is key. We have so many blind spots we don’t even realize it! Listen as I coach Dara on how she comes across with her voice and her message. Because we’re always our own worst critic, note that we look at the things to celebrate in...